Only 5 of 49 roads and bridges washed out by Hurricane Helene remain closed in Tennessee

In the six months since Hurricane Helene devastated East Tennessee, roads and bridges that washed away have been restored to reconnect vital supply routes.

Daily frustrations remain, of course, as repair work continues on the last few major state projects and interior roads in communities. The scope of the accomplishments is staggering.

"This wasn’t a generational storm. This was a multigenerational storm," Tennessee Department of Transportation spokesman Mark Nagi told Knox News.

"Sometimes I fear that pictures and videos don’t do the devastation we have seen justice."

Federal funding and collaboration between federal, state and local agencies sped up the process. Tennessee requested $510 million from the federal government and has received $102 million so far, Nagi said. The major projects that remain, including bridges over the Nolichucky River, should be completed in the next few months.

One bridge won't come back online until next year.

Eighteen Tennesseans died in the storm. For their families and many others, life will never ne the same.

In Carter County, there's a sense of pride about the recovery work. Dangers and annoyances remain, however, because of the road closures.

"For, like, emergency services, it still slows down the process of getting ambulances there. My drive to work, which used to be 30 minutes, is an hour now, and for my community, it's the same way. It's adding 30 to 45 minutes to our daily commute, so it's a big deal to us," Carter County Commissioner Jason Clawson told Knox News.

County crews have tackled road repairs beyond what the state provides. They're taking the work step by step, including temporary fixes to get at least some traffic flowing.

Temporary patches aren't ideal for large trucks, though. Clawson tells tractor-trailer drivers to use maps instead of GPS to stay on major roads. That way, they can avoid damaging the fragile routes locals use that aren't ready for heavy vehicles.

'It's going to make all the difference in the world for everybody's morale, you know, and just their daily life. It's going to be so much better to get those bridges back, and it sure makes you appreciate what you once had," Clawson said.

Roads that are closed six months after Hurricane Helene

Interstate 26 is open with one lane in each direction over the Nolichucky River, but permanent construction work remains on the westbound side. It should be completed in the summer or fall.

Five state roads and bridges still are under repair for Helene damage:

• In Carter and Johnson counties, State Route 159/US 321 is closed in the Elk Mills community. A contractor is backfilling and installing drainage structures. The estimated opening date is Aug. 31.
• In Carter County, State Route 67/State Route 91 is closed at the Doe River Bridge. The estimated opening date is May 31.
• In Greene County, State Route 107 is closed at the Nolichucky River Bridge. Beam placement is ongoing. The estimated opening date is June 23.
• In Washington County, State Route 81 is closed at the Nolichucky River Bridge. Beam placement is ongoing. The estimated opening date is June 23.
• In Washington County, State Route 353 is closed at the Nolichucky River Bridge. "Just getting started. It will be the last project to be completed," Nagi said. The estimated opening date is May 22, 2026.

Tennessee road and bridge projects completed since Hurricane Helene

Forty-four of the 49 roads and bridges that washed away in Helene have been restored, Nagi said.

One road opened this week in Unicoi County ‒ State Route 36 ‒ bringing a major thoroughfare back online.

"Twelve individual sites throughout the corridor were repaired, including guardrail installation, construction of rock buttresses and soil nail walls," according to a TDOT press release.

Another Unicoi County project was recently completed: State Route 107 and SR-395 are open in Tennessee but closed in North Carolina.

Here's a look at the major roads that were repaired:

• In Carter County, State Route 37/U.S. 19, and State Routes 143, 91 and 361
• In Cocke County, State Route 32 and 73
• In Grainger County, State Route 375
• In Greene County, State Route 340 and 350
• In Hamblen County, State Route 343
• In Hawkins County, State Routes 31, 66 and 94
• In Johnson County, State Route 34/U.S. 421 and State Routes 91, 133 and 167
• In Knox County, State Route 131 at the Karns railroad underpass
• In Sevier County, State Route 73 between mile markers 2 and 4
• In Washington County, State Route 81 to State Route 107